Senua's Saga: Hellblade 2 is not just the follow-up to the action-adventure series' predecessor, but the culmination of a seven-year journey for developer Ninja Theory. Launched in 2017, Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice was received well by players and critics alike, accruing multiple awards for its engaging dark fantasy narrative inspired by Norse mythology and Celtic culture, and its depiction of psychosis – the latter of which was portrayed via the eponymous protagonist on-screen, and underpinned by thorough consultation with medical professionals off it.
Between games, Ninja Theory was acquired by Microsoft Gaming, adding an extra layer of expectation to the studio's upcoming sequel. Having made such a concerted effort in its bid to challenge mental health stigma during its first outing, there is likewise a degree of pre-release anticipation for Ninja Theory to carry similar commitment forward, both thematically and mechanically, into number 2. Laurie Dunham, Senua's Saga: Hellblade 2's script writer and director of performance capture, enters the fray relatively new having not worked on the first game – but says the process has remained the same since pre-2017.
